The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1887-11-25
VOL. ".
Written for the MONITOR
T0-DAY7S LIVING ISSUE.


exclaimed this same authority, .'Young
men don't bury yourselves in the grave
yards Of old ideas Within the memory
| of the present generation there have been
national questions of such paramount in
terest as justly to entitle them to be called
the living issues of the hour. But the oc-
casion and surroundings that gave these
special significance having passed away,
their value suffered marked depreciation
| The political interests referred to were con-
sidered of sufficient magnitude to necessi-
tate the formation of q party to conserve
the same, as we'll as for active, agrees ve
work, which would SO educate public SEN
timent that the logical sequence would be
the desired reform. We are told that
''history repeats ITSELF" as well as that
history is philosophy teaching by example
| Concedng this, will not the wise man be
he who profits by the teaching of the past,
and If so what is now the lesson of the
hour specially for those who exercise the
right of franchise.
- iOiS iSi ONtI tllt oliGldl Vi
gans of the different political parties
would likely take his impression concern
ing the living Issue from the respective
standpoints of these journals. In one it
question, in still another the greenback in
terest, &c. In trying to reconcile conflict
ing theories he would doubtless suffer con-
siderable confusion of thought or, in words
more striking than classic, get things
Gladly Mixed To many who are shout
ing themselves hoarse for their respective
parties, the thought of political organiza-
ton whose fundamental idea is the sup
preston of the liquor traffic seems very
contracted if not ridiculous. To the glib
objection of its being party of one idea,
we would reply, was not the g. o. p. pre-
eminently a party of one idea? Did not
the single idea of the awful iniquity of
holding men in bondage, together with the
attempt to extend the domain of slavery,
give rise and progress TO the party of
'smoral IDEAS" And to those who claim
that prohibition can be obtained through
the present political organizations we
would reply, We're this to happen
it would be in direct opposition
to the teachings of history. The
stubborn logic OF facts is opposed to
the sentiment SO gibly uttered, s'reform
in the party" Every great reform, in
church or state, has needed not only a
come-outer to inaugurate the movement.
but constituency behind him, acting as
Aaron and Hurs, to hold up his hands.
But many honest lovers of country claim
that there are interests paramount to the
prohibition of the liquor traffic. 1t seems
to us that an evil which, according to emf
nent authority, is more disastrous to ma
ton than war, pestilence and famine com
bined; an evil responsible for % per cenr.
direct or otherwise of all the commit
ments to jails, pententiaries, almshouses,
etc. an evil to crafty which more than
CSC, eco, goo are annually expended in this
country alone; an evil which in our land
alone sends at least &C, 900 men every year
to a drunkards' grave, cannot be such a
will o. the wisp as some would fain make
us believe. Another trite objection is
that the question is not a national one.
Well, Of one thing we are morally certain.
that the evil against which we are waging
this "Everybodys' War is certainly
national one and that objection comes with
specially poor grace from our Republican
friends, whose party originated and was
maintained for the destruction of an evil
purely sectional, bounded as it was by GER
tain geographical limits. The abolition of
slavery, with which the Republican party
was so closely associated, furnishes some
striking analoges for the present cam
paicn. To superficial observer it might
have seemed that the liberation of the
slaves was the only good effected But in
this complex world of ours interests
either for veal or woe are so related that
no wrong can be perpetrated or good ac-
complished without effecting interests of
similar character graphic illustration of
which was found in the fact that the eman-
cipation act, which struck off the letters
from four millions of slaves, at the same
time liberated their masters also, and if
one wants an object lesson upon the moral
and material advantages of the abolition of
slavery upon the whites of the south he
has only to visit Georgia and Alabama
and he will have ocular demonstration
that should satisfy the most skeptical. In
like manner is it not entirely reasonable
that the abolition Of the gigantic crime of
crimes-the legalized liquor traffic-will
work similar blessed results. The fact is
that the drink habit touches humanity at
so many points, that it enters so largely
into the diverse questions of social and
political economy, as to necessitate in the
intelligent prosecution of effort for its
overthrow knowledge of the current is
sues of the day.
New Jersey is one of the best mapped
States in the Union. Professor George IL.
Cook, State Geologist, has just completed
a big atlas of the State, containing seven
teen handsome plates arranged for bind
ing in a book II by "a inches. The maps
are illuminated, and show every road, stream
and hill in the State. Almost every pond
an acre in extent is located, and the eleva-
ton of every portion of the State, as we'll